2003 will unfortunately be remembered as the year of a unused Jerry Goldsmith score, even though the composer gave us what actually turned out to be one of the best scores from that year. Director Richard Donner finally collaborated with Jerry Goldsmith again, after 1976's The Omen on Timeline, a film for Paramount based on Michael Crichton's novel, but due to problems in post-production the film's score eventually had to be replaced. Donner had asked Goldsmith to rescore the picture but he was unable to come back to the project. Fortunately everyone will now get to hear what Jerry Goldsmith composed since as of this writing it has been announced that Varese Sarabande will release a special edition SACD.

The score to Timeline is an exciting mixture of melodic and heroic themes with a suspenseful and sometimes mellow use of electronics. The first third of the score is very subdued with an opening using airy and pitch bending synths accompanying strings. Three themes surface as the score progresses and an action motif is often used. Goldsmith fans will find the motif similar in structure to motifs from Air Force One and The Sum of All Fears. The action motif is sometimes glued together in the suspense cues with a 10/8 rhythm providing a backbone utilized throughout the score. The first main theme is a jumpy idea based on a perfect fifth performed in the brass often with the french horn section intensely wailing in unison. The two best themes in the score are somewhat connected, a heroic fanfare idea and a moving love theme that are both reminiscent to composer's earlier score to Lionheart. The fanfare theme is most exciting when the brass are able to take over in the cues Setting Up and Greek Fire. The love theme is nicely stated early in the score for a simple piano solo but later gets a beautiful treatment on recorder in a cue called Move On. Nice dipping strings accompany this theme with a development in a minor mode feel complete with oboe and clarinet solos - all vintage Goldsmith that is beautifully performed.

For the finale of the score Goldsmith uses some exciting fast string and low brass writing on two action heavy cues, Prepare for Battle and Victory for Us. A highlight is the swelling brass on the Fanfare/love theme echoed by strings and the use of the 10/8 ostinato with high strings, tubular bells, snare drums and pounding timpani (an exciting brief section repeated on low brass follows). Goldsmith often brings out the fat synth chant-like calls with sinister horns sliding between notes. The score wraps up with the subdued synth feel and the love theme stated on oboe and strings. The music is memorable for an action film these days and the blending of drama with a science fiction time travel adventure is sure to bring out the best in Jerry Goldsmith.

The Complete Cue Listing

1. The Dig 4:08
2. Man to Man :45
3. Cornflakes 2:03
4. A Waste of Time 1:10
5. Who Were They? 1:00
6. Underground 2:01
7. The Lens 1:00
8. Help Me 2:00
9. I'll Come 1:20
10. No Pain 1:49

11. After Him 1:25
12. Find Marek :47
13. Quick Action 1:15
14. To Castlegard 1:26
15. Work To Do :32
16. Castlegard :52
17. Our Interpreter 1:36
18. Nick of Time :31
19. Lost Marker 1:04
20. Four Hours 1:14

21. The RoofTop 4:20
22. A Hole In The Wall 2:26
23. Move On 6:57
24. Be Careful 2:11
25. Ambushed 1:26
26. No Marker 2:13
27. Castle La Roque 1:07
28. Setting Up 1:11
29. The Mural 1:46
30. Greek Fire 1:53

31. Light The Arrows :55
32. It's Time 2:13
33. Fix It 1:04
34. History Part 1 :46
35. History Part 2 :54
36. Prepare For Battle 6:23
37. Victory For Us 4:47
38. Where's Marek? :31
39. To My Friends 1:40